The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses

Help us celebrate the compassion and skill of our extraordinary nurses!

An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, The DAISY Foundation was formed in November, 1999, by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). The nursing care Patrick received when hospitalized profoundly touched his family. After Pat passed, his family wanted to come up a way to recognize the amazing nurses who do so much to help other families on a daily basis. They created The DAISY Foundation, which expresses gratitude to nurses with programs that recognize them for the extraordinary skillful, compassionate care they provide patients and families.

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses was established under The DAISY Foundation, which honors the super-human work nurses do for patients and families every day wherever they practice, in whatever role they serve and throughout their careers- from Nursing Student through lifetime achievement.

Nurses are nominated by anyone in the organization – patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, other clinicians and staff – anyone who experiences or observes extraordinary compassionate care being provided by a nurse.

Do you know or have you been cared for by an extraordinary Kern Medical nurse? Share your story about the extraordinary compassion and skillful nursing care with a DAISY Award nomination.

Who is Eligible?

Our DAISY Award honorees are registered nurses (RN) who exemplify our core values of compassionate healing, respect, integrity and loving-kindness.

These RNs are role models for excellent patient care and the promotion of nursing professional practice.

What is the DAISY Award?

Our DAISY Award Honorees are recognized at a public ceremony in her/his unit and receive: a beautiful certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and a hand-carved stone sculpture entitled A Healer’s Touch. Additionally, everyone in the unit will celebrate with cinnamon rolls – a favorite of Patrick’s during his illness. The Barnes Family asks that whenever and wherever nurses smell that wonderful cinnamon aroma, they stop for a moment and think about how special they are to their patients, families and colleagues.

View DAISY Award Honorees at Kern Medical – COMING SOON